# ■ 3

As they entered the house，they saw Dorian Gray．He was sitting by the window and turning some pages of music．

You must lend me this music，Basil，'he said．Then he turned and saw Lord Henry．'Oh，I'm sorry，Basil．I didn't realize…'

Dorian，this is Lord Henry Wotton，'said Basil．'He's an old friend of mine．'

Dorian Gray shook hands with Lord Henry，and while they talked，Lord Henry studied the young man．Yes，he was very good－looking indeed，with his bright blue eyes and his gold hair．He had an open，honest face．There were no dark secrets in that face．Lord Henry could understand Basil's feelings for him．

Basil was getting his paints ready．Now he looked at Lord Henry．'Harry，'he said，'I want to finish this portrait of Dorian today．I'm afraid I must ask you to go away．'

Lord Henry smiled and looked at Dorian Gray．'Should I go，Mr Gray？'he asked．

Oh，please don't leave，Lord Henry．Basil never talks when he's painting，and it's so boring．Please stay．I'd like you to talk to me．'

Well，Basil？'Lord Henry asked．

The artist bit his lip．'Very well，Harry．Stay…if you must．

While Basil painted，Lord Henry talked，and the young man listened．The words filled Dorian's head like music—wild，exciting music．What a beautiful voice Lord Henry has，he thought．They are only words，but how terrible they are！How bright and dangerous！You cannot escape from words．Dorian began to understand things about himself that he had never understood before．Why had he never seen himself so clearly，he wondered？

Lord Henry watched Dorian，and smiled．He knew when to speak，and when to be silent．He felt very interested in this young man，with his wonderful face．

Later they walked in the garden together，while Basil worked at the portrait．The rich scent of the flowers was all around them．Dorian looked at the older man，and wondered about him．He was tall，with a thin dark face and cool white hands．Dorian liked him，but why did he feel a little afraid of him？

You must come out of the sun，Mr Gray，'said Lord Henry．'A brown skin isn't fashionable and it won't suit you．

Oh，it doesn't matter，'laughed Dorian．

But it should matter to you，Mr Gray．'

Why？'asked Dorian．

Because you're young，and being young is wonderful．Ah，you smile．You don't think so now，but one day you'll understand what I mean—when you're old，and tired，and no longer beautiful．You have a wonderfully beautiful face，Mr Gray．It's true．Don't shake your head at me．And there's nothing more important，more valuable than beauty．When your youth goes，your beauty will go with it．Then you'll suddenly discover that your life is empty—there will be nothing to enjoy，nothing to hope for．Time is your enemy，Mr Gray．It will steal everything from you．People are afraid of themselves today．Afraid to live．But you，with your face and your youth，there's nothing that you cannot do．You must live！Live the wonderful life that is in you！We can never be young again．Youth！Ah，there is nothing in the world as important as youth！'

Dorian Gray listened and wondered．New ideas filled his head．He felt strange，different．

At that moment Basil called them from the house．Lord Henry turned to Dorian．'You're happy that you've met me，Mr Gray，'he said．

Yes，I'm happy now．Will I always be happy，I wonder？'

Always！'Lord Henry smiled．'What a terrible word！Women use it much too often．What does it mean？It's today that is important．'

■ 3

走進房間，他們看見了多裡安·格雷。他正靠窗而坐，翻閱著一些樂譜。

“你得把這樂譜借給我，巴茲爾。”他說道。然後他轉身看見了亨利勳爵。“哦，對不起，巴茲爾。我沒看見……”

“多裡安，這是亨利·沃頓勳爵。”巴茲爾說，“是我的一位老朋友。”

多裡安·格雷和亨利勳爵握了握手。他們交談時，亨利勳爵審視著這位年輕人。的確，他長得很好看，藍眼睛，金黃色的頭髮。他的臉坦率、誠實，沒有任何陰暗的祕密。亨利勳爵能夠理解巴茲爾對他的感情了。

巴茲爾正準備著畫具。現在他看著亨利勳爵。“哈里，”他說，“我今天想完成多裡安的畫像，恐怕得讓你先離開了。”

亨利勳爵笑著，看了看多裡安·格雷。“我必須走嗎，格雷先生？”他問道。

“哦，請別走，亨利勳爵。巴茲爾畫畫時從不說話，太枯燥了。請留下吧，我希望你和我聊天。”

“那麼，巴茲爾？”亨利勳爵問道。

畫家咬著嘴脣。“好吧，哈里。留下吧……如果你堅持。”

巴茲爾畫畫時，亨利勳爵說著話，年輕人聽著。話語像音樂一樣填進了多裡安的腦海——一種瘋狂的、令人激動的音樂。亨利勳爵的嗓音多麼動聽啊！他想著。這些只不過是話語，但是太可怕了！多麼歡快，又多麼危險！你無法迴避這些話語。多裡安開始瞭解自己以前從未了解的自身的東西。為什麼他從未那麼清楚地瞭解過自己？他思忖著。

亨利勳爵觀察著多裡安，微笑著。他知道什麼時候該說，什麼時候停下來。他對這個長著奇妙面孔的年輕人很有興趣。

然後他們一起走進花園，巴茲爾這時在畫畫。鮮花的濃香包圍了他們。多裡安看著這個年長一些的男人，揣度著他。他個子高高的，面孔瘦削、偏黑，雙手又冷又白。多裡安喜歡他，但為什麼又覺得有點怕他？

“你必須避開陽光，格雷先生。”亨利勳爵說。“棕色皮膚不時興，也不適合你。”

“哦，不要緊。”多裡安笑著。

“但對你是要緊的，格雷先生。”

“為什麼？”多裡安問。

“因為你年輕，年輕是極好的。啊，你笑了，現在你不這樣認為，但是有一天你會明白我的意思——當你變老、疲倦，不再漂亮時。你長著非常漂亮的面孔，格雷先生。這是真的，別朝我搖頭。沒有比美貌更重要、更有價值的了。當你的青春逝去時，你的美貌也隨之消失。然後你會突然發現生活的空虛——不再欣賞任何事物，也不再對任何事物抱有希望。時間是你的敵人，格雷先生。它會偷走你的一切。如今人們害怕自己，害怕生活。但是你，憑著你的面孔和青春，沒有任何你不能做的事情。你必須享受人生，過著屬於你的美好的生活！我們再不會年輕了。青春！啊，世界上沒有比青春更重要的了！”

多裡安·格雷聽著、思考著。新思想裝滿了他的腦海。他感到奇特和不同。

這時巴茲爾在房間裡叫他們。亨利勳爵轉向多裡安，“你高興結識了我，格雷先生。”他說。

“是的，我現在挺高興。我想我會總是高高興興的，是嗎？”

“總會的！”亨利勳爵笑著。“多可怕的一句話！女人們總是這樣說。這是什麼意思呢？那就是重要的是今天。”